The efficacy of the frontline platinum-based combination chemotherapy in malignant peritoneal mesothelioma

Malignant peritoneal mesothelioma is a rare neoplasm that accounts for ∼1 per 1 million has limited data regarding its frontline therapy. We investigated the treatment outcomes in patients with malignant peritoneal mesothelioma receiving frontline cisplatin-based combination chemotherapy.

We analyzed 14 patients with malignant peritoneal mesothelioma who had been treated by frontline cisplatin-based combination chemotherapy between January 2005 and March 2009. The chemotherapeutic agent added to platinum was gemcitabine in one patient, cyclophosphamide-doxorubicin in three patients and pemetrexed in 10 patients.

The confirmed overall response rate was 35.7% and the disease control rate was 71.4%. In all patients, two complete responses and three partial responses were observed (overall response rate, 35.7%). Stable disease was observed in five patients (35.7%). The median progression free survival was 4.4 months (95% CI, 0.6-9.0) and the median overall survival was 20.1 months (95% CI, 12.7-28.5). There was significant differences for progression free survival (P = 0.031) according to the different chemotherapeutic agents (pemetrexed versus non-pemetrexed agents) added to platinum. Grade 3 or 4 hematologic toxicities included leukopenia in one patient and anemia in three patients. There were no Grade 3 or 4 non-hematologic toxicities or treatment-related deaths.

The platinum-based combination chemotherapy showed moderate activity and a favorable toxicity profile as a frontline treatment for patients with malignant peritoneal mesothelioma. Pemetrexed in combination with platinum showed improved survival outcomes as compared with other combination regimens combined with platinum.